Press Release
July 30, 2019

Ambush interview of Senate President Vicente Sotto III

Q: Debate kahapon between Sen. Drilon and Sen. Tolentino ano yung point of view ninyo, kailangan bang dumaan sa Senate yung oral agreement, kailangan po ba ng Senate concurrence?

SP Sotto: Hindi.. We cannot take up something that is not ours or within our jurisdiction. So if no one brings it up, no agreement is presented, there is nothing for us to take cognizance of, yun din ang point ni Senator Drilon kahapon kaya nga tinatanong niya ano ba yung oral agreement, ano ba yung laman.

Q: Pero di ba sir kailangan mag hearing para you can summon Malacanang officials...

SP Sotto: Hindi, because of the fact that it was brought up yesterday we can probably call for an inquiry or a hearing based on a privilege speech not based on any oral agreement that has never been brought to us.

Q: Do you agree na dapat I subpoena yung DFA? Ipatawag?

SP Sotto: Yung opinion na yun I leave it to the members of the committee on foreign relations. I do not want to impose on them the perspective of the Senate President.

Q: Pero dapat po bang magkaroon ng law na sinasabi ni Sen. Tolentino para next time daw lahat ng agreements nakasulat na.

SP Sotto: Well, that is the other side of the coin. The other side is the position of Senator Drilon that says that everything is in place. Merong ganun. Meron naman pwedeng I take up eh kung dadalahin mo sa amin. Bakit namin hihilahin ang hindi naman dinadala sa amin. That is the other side of the perspective. Bakit namin pag-uuspan ang hindi naman dinadala sa amin.

Q: So ang pinaka possible is hearing?

Sp Sotto: Pinakapossible magkaroon ng hearing based on the privilege speech but the privilege speech is not over yet becuase there is a continuation of the intepellation.

News Latest News Feed